The Royal Opera House's recent incident involving a substitute singer taking the stage for the iconic aria 'Nessun Dorma' has sparked a debate about audience behavior and expectations in UK opera houses. The incident occurred during a performance of Puccini's Turandot, where the tenor Roberto Alagna fell ill after the second act and had to withdraw. The head of music, Richard Hetherington, stepped in to sing from the wings, while choreologist Tatiana Novaes Coelho performed the role on stage. However, when the third act resumed without the famous 'Nessun Dorma' aria due to its technical difficulty, some audience members expressed their displeasure by booing. This reaction raises questions about the UK's opera-going culture and the role of booing in the traditional opera experience.
Opera enthusiasts often associate booing with a lack of connoisseurship, but the history of booing in opera is complex. While booing is generally more common in Italy, UK audiences are known for their more restrained behavior. Opera historian Flora Willson explains that opera tends to elicit more vocal reactions than spoken theater or musicals, but booing is often directed at the singers, whose performances are expected to be exceptional. Willson draws a comparison between opera audiences and football fans, where yelling and chanting enhance the experience but don't disrupt the game as booing can in a live performance.
Historically, UK opera houses have had a subscription system, fostering a sense of ownership among the audience. However, the demographics and behavior of opera-goers have changed significantly over the past two centuries. Willson notes that opera audiences have generally become less rowdy, with a greater emphasis on silence and stillness during performances. This shift in audience behavior may contribute to the less frequent occurrence of booing in UK opera houses.
John Berry, the former artistic director of English National Opera, acknowledges that booing is a tradition in some European theaters but is uncommon in the UK. He finds isolated booing of singers distasteful, especially in the digital age where social media provides a platform for immediate feedback. Berry emphasizes that singers are human and may struggle to perform when their voices disappear, making the live theater experience both powerful and unpredictable.
Martin Kettle, a former Guardian columnist and opera enthusiast, suggests that booing can reflect the audience's passion for a specific interpretation of the opera. However, he also acknowledges the increasing boorishness in culture, which may contribute to aggressive behavior in opera houses. Kettle recalls a particularly cruel incident where a heckler shouted 'rubbish' at a young actor, leading to a wave of cheers from the audience and a lifetime ban from the venue. This incident highlights the tension between audience expectations and the performers' efforts.
Opera critic Tim Ashley expresses concern about pantomime-style booing, where people boo a character irrespective of the performance's quality. He witnessed such behavior during a production of Madama Butterfly at the Royal Opera House, where Marcelo Puente, playing Pinkerton, was booed despite delivering a compelling performance. Ashley believes that this type of booing can be unfair to the singers and detrimental to the overall experience.
The 'Nessun Dorma' incident at the Royal Opera House can be seen as a perfect storm of factors. The aria is a well-known and beloved piece, and its absence during the performance may have been perceived as a significant disruption. The incident raises questions about the balance between audience expectations and the practicalities of live performances, as well as the evolving dynamics between performers and the audience in the modern opera landscape.
